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trojan
Volume XCIV, Number 39 University of Southern California Friday, October 28, 1983
MICHELE DURANT-DAILY TROJAN
Library officials hope to someday store up to 750,000 volumes in the Armory Building.
Funding, space problems delay plans to relocate library books
By Joann Galardy
Assistant Qty Editor
Plans to renovate an off-campus storage building to ease the overflow of books in the university library system continue to move at a slow pace because of funding problems and debates over how the additional space should be used.
Library officials are anxious to begin moving books off the overcrowded shelves in Doheny and other campus libraries, and eventually hope to store about 750,000 volumes in the Armory Building, located on Hope Street east of the Harbor Freeway.
"The library is jammed to the point where it can no longer function without some relief,"
said Roy Kidman, university librarian.
Although the $1.5 million sale was completed a year ago, plans to make the building functional have progressed slowly while the administration debates such issues as funding and renovation.
There have been no major additions to the library since 1967, and since the collection expands by about 83,000 volumes a year, Kidman believes it is essential that officials give the go-ahead to begin moving books to the Armory Building.
While an agreement has been reached between the university and library administrators which calls for the library to use the first
(Continued on page 7)
Research funds put university in top 20
By Catalina Camia
Staff Writer
Federal research grants awarded to the university increased 9 percent in the last fiscal year, placing the university among the nation's top 20 universities in research.
Research grants, considered by universities as a barometer of academic standing, totalled $77.8 million at the university during the 1982-83 fiscal year, said William Hromadka, director of the office of contracts and grants. Of this amount, $65.5 million were federal grants from such agencies as the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation.
While the $65.5 million places the university among the top 20 educational institutions, according to a list compiled by the National Science Foundation, Hromadka said the list is misleading.
"Basically, the list is a combination of both private and public institutions," he said. "A more accurate ranking would be to say that this university is among the top 12 private colleges nationwide, or second only in the state to Stanford."
"The main reason for all of the money is to show support for our graduate and post-graduate students," said William Spitzer, associate provost for research.
"(Research) gives a university life," said Spitzer.
Both Spitzer and William Steirer, co-chairmen of the electrical engineering department, believe that research ultimately benefits the students, especially those at the graduate level.
The largest amount donated for sponsored research was $32.3 million from the Department of Health and Human Services. Of this amount, $24 million went toward research at the school of medicine especially devoted to cancer and related studies.
The Department of Defense sponsored $18.3 million of research, for the second largest amount from a federal source. Of this amount, $17.3 million was proportioned for engineering.
While it may appear specious for the Department of Defense to sponsor such a large amount of research at the university, both Hromadka and Spitzer said that the university doesn't do anything in terms of nuclear weapons research.
"All research done by the university is non-classified, and is essentially, of a basic nature," said Spitzer. "We aren't in competition with industry, thus, we aren't product oriented in our research.''
(Continued on page 5)
NOT BITTER ABOUT PREDICAMENT
18-year employee to retire without pension
By Mark Lowe
Assistant Qty Editor
A 75-year-old university employee with more than 18 years of service will formally retire today, but will do so without the benefit of a university pension.
John Donkin, a parking attendant since March 1965, will be honored at a reception this afternoon in the Faculty Center, but under the rules of the university's new retirement plan, he does not qualify for a pension.
Under the university Support Staff Pension Plan, employees are given credit for service from 1973 to 1983, provided they were under 65 years of age during that time, worked a 12-month period at least 50 percent of the time, and were non-exempt from overtime conditions.
"Because of the fact that John turned 65 in 1973, and we only give past service credit between July 1, 1973 and July 1, 1983, he does not qualify for any benefit, unfortunately," said John Koerner, a counselor in the benefits office of the human resources department.
"They called me and said they were trying to work out something for me, but they weren't sure," Donkin said. "They weren't sure if they could do anything for me.
"It seems to be an on-and-off affair," he said. "Most of the fellows in the parking department are saying, That's crazy; you've got 18 full years in.'"
Donkin was bom in Durham, England in 1908 and came to the United States in 1931. He attended this university on a GI bill after he served in World War II, and studied drama, hoping to become an actor.
He said he has no "sour grapes" about the lack of a pension and is not worried about his future.
"I have Social Security, and my wife is an ex-teacher, so she has a pension," he said. "And we have funds we've managed to save. We should be able to survive."
University officials who determine benefits and pensions said they did not know what they could do for Donkin, but agreed on one point — John Donkin definitely does not qualify under the current retirement plan.
"I haven't had a chance to talk to any of the administrators about it," said Jack Schneider, director of personnel, saying he did not know now what could be done and that he would "need a few days" to consult university officials and find out.
He said, however, that anything the human resources department could do would have to be done according to its legal documents, and that Donkin "simply is not covered by this plan."
The new retirement plan, instituted last September, was an attempt to bring the university up to par with other universities, most of which have their own pension plans, and to include all employees in such a plan.
Previously, university employees could join a voluntary program called TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association, College Retirement Equities Fund), where employees would donate at least 5 percent of their gross pay to the fund, and the university would contribute an additional 9 percent.
But only 20 percent of university employees subscribed to TIAA-CREF, leaving the rest without after-retirement benefits. The university also decided this particular plan was discriminatory, since it excluded employees who could not afford to put in 5 percent of their pay each month, Koemer said.
"This is the very reason the university brought in this retirement plan. It's for people like John," he said.
Ironically, though, the program will not help Donkin.
"He may be the only one in the university in that category. Sure some people will fall through the cracks," Koemer said, adding that "a lot more people will be covered (by the new program) who weren't covered before."
Donkin also falls into the category of people who did not begin a retirement account with TIAA-CREF, partially because, Donkin said, few other employees did and also because he did not plan on staying so long at the university.
"My wife became pregnant with our daughter, and I had an offer to go to the East on a summer stock (for acting), but my wife didn't want me to go," Donkin said.
"When our first-born came along, I had to find a job. That was one of the things that prompted me to stay."
Richard McCormick, administrator of parking and Donkin's supervisor, said Donkin "has been an outstanding employee."
"He's been here long enough (that he can) do just about anything we ask him to do," McCormick said, adding that Donkin was "here when I got here."
(Continued on page 2)
JOHN DONKIN M,CHELE KARAS/DAILY

trojan
Volume XCIV, Number 39 University of Southern California Friday, October 28, 1983
MICHELE DURANT-DAILY TROJAN
Library officials hope to someday store up to 750,000 volumes in the Armory Building.
Funding, space problems delay plans to relocate library books
By Joann Galardy
Assistant Qty Editor
Plans to renovate an off-campus storage building to ease the overflow of books in the university library system continue to move at a slow pace because of funding problems and debates over how the additional space should be used.
Library officials are anxious to begin moving books off the overcrowded shelves in Doheny and other campus libraries, and eventually hope to store about 750,000 volumes in the Armory Building, located on Hope Street east of the Harbor Freeway.
"The library is jammed to the point where it can no longer function without some relief,"
said Roy Kidman, university librarian.
Although the $1.5 million sale was completed a year ago, plans to make the building functional have progressed slowly while the administration debates such issues as funding and renovation.
There have been no major additions to the library since 1967, and since the collection expands by about 83,000 volumes a year, Kidman believes it is essential that officials give the go-ahead to begin moving books to the Armory Building.
While an agreement has been reached between the university and library administrators which calls for the library to use the first
(Continued on page 7)
Research funds put university in top 20
By Catalina Camia
Staff Writer
Federal research grants awarded to the university increased 9 percent in the last fiscal year, placing the university among the nation's top 20 universities in research.
Research grants, considered by universities as a barometer of academic standing, totalled $77.8 million at the university during the 1982-83 fiscal year, said William Hromadka, director of the office of contracts and grants. Of this amount, $65.5 million were federal grants from such agencies as the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation.
While the $65.5 million places the university among the top 20 educational institutions, according to a list compiled by the National Science Foundation, Hromadka said the list is misleading.
"Basically, the list is a combination of both private and public institutions," he said. "A more accurate ranking would be to say that this university is among the top 12 private colleges nationwide, or second only in the state to Stanford."
"The main reason for all of the money is to show support for our graduate and post-graduate students," said William Spitzer, associate provost for research.
"(Research) gives a university life," said Spitzer.
Both Spitzer and William Steirer, co-chairmen of the electrical engineering department, believe that research ultimately benefits the students, especially those at the graduate level.
The largest amount donated for sponsored research was $32.3 million from the Department of Health and Human Services. Of this amount, $24 million went toward research at the school of medicine especially devoted to cancer and related studies.
The Department of Defense sponsored $18.3 million of research, for the second largest amount from a federal source. Of this amount, $17.3 million was proportioned for engineering.
While it may appear specious for the Department of Defense to sponsor such a large amount of research at the university, both Hromadka and Spitzer said that the university doesn't do anything in terms of nuclear weapons research.
"All research done by the university is non-classified, and is essentially, of a basic nature," said Spitzer. "We aren't in competition with industry, thus, we aren't product oriented in our research.''
(Continued on page 5)
NOT BITTER ABOUT PREDICAMENT
18-year employee to retire without pension
By Mark Lowe
Assistant Qty Editor
A 75-year-old university employee with more than 18 years of service will formally retire today, but will do so without the benefit of a university pension.
John Donkin, a parking attendant since March 1965, will be honored at a reception this afternoon in the Faculty Center, but under the rules of the university's new retirement plan, he does not qualify for a pension.
Under the university Support Staff Pension Plan, employees are given credit for service from 1973 to 1983, provided they were under 65 years of age during that time, worked a 12-month period at least 50 percent of the time, and were non-exempt from overtime conditions.
"Because of the fact that John turned 65 in 1973, and we only give past service credit between July 1, 1973 and July 1, 1983, he does not qualify for any benefit, unfortunately," said John Koerner, a counselor in the benefits office of the human resources department.
"They called me and said they were trying to work out something for me, but they weren't sure," Donkin said. "They weren't sure if they could do anything for me.
"It seems to be an on-and-off affair," he said. "Most of the fellows in the parking department are saying, That's crazy; you've got 18 full years in.'"
Donkin was bom in Durham, England in 1908 and came to the United States in 1931. He attended this university on a GI bill after he served in World War II, and studied drama, hoping to become an actor.
He said he has no "sour grapes" about the lack of a pension and is not worried about his future.
"I have Social Security, and my wife is an ex-teacher, so she has a pension," he said. "And we have funds we've managed to save. We should be able to survive."
University officials who determine benefits and pensions said they did not know what they could do for Donkin, but agreed on one point — John Donkin definitely does not qualify under the current retirement plan.
"I haven't had a chance to talk to any of the administrators about it," said Jack Schneider, director of personnel, saying he did not know now what could be done and that he would "need a few days" to consult university officials and find out.
He said, however, that anything the human resources department could do would have to be done according to its legal documents, and that Donkin "simply is not covered by this plan."
The new retirement plan, instituted last September, was an attempt to bring the university up to par with other universities, most of which have their own pension plans, and to include all employees in such a plan.
Previously, university employees could join a voluntary program called TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association, College Retirement Equities Fund), where employees would donate at least 5 percent of their gross pay to the fund, and the university would contribute an additional 9 percent.
But only 20 percent of university employees subscribed to TIAA-CREF, leaving the rest without after-retirement benefits. The university also decided this particular plan was discriminatory, since it excluded employees who could not afford to put in 5 percent of their pay each month, Koemer said.
"This is the very reason the university brought in this retirement plan. It's for people like John," he said.
Ironically, though, the program will not help Donkin.
"He may be the only one in the university in that category. Sure some people will fall through the cracks," Koemer said, adding that "a lot more people will be covered (by the new program) who weren't covered before."
Donkin also falls into the category of people who did not begin a retirement account with TIAA-CREF, partially because, Donkin said, few other employees did and also because he did not plan on staying so long at the university.
"My wife became pregnant with our daughter, and I had an offer to go to the East on a summer stock (for acting), but my wife didn't want me to go," Donkin said.
"When our first-born came along, I had to find a job. That was one of the things that prompted me to stay."
Richard McCormick, administrator of parking and Donkin's supervisor, said Donkin "has been an outstanding employee."
"He's been here long enough (that he can) do just about anything we ask him to do," McCormick said, adding that Donkin was "here when I got here."
(Continued on page 2)
JOHN DONKIN M,CHELE KARAS/DAILY